Match-safe.



R. L. CLARK.

MATCH SAFE.

APPLICATION FILED APRA, 1913.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

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ROBERT L. CLARK, 0F UNION, WEST VIRGINIA.

MATCH-SAFE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 4, 1913. Serial No. 758,898.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT L. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Union, in the county of Monroe and State 'of lVest Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Match- Safes, of which the following is a specification.

An object of the invention is to provide a match safe adapted to contain a number of matches and whereby a single match can be partially removed from the casing of the match safe when it is desired to use the same.

The invention comprehends, among other features, a match safe which normally holds a number of matches and wherein a single match is at all times held in position for removing the same from the safe, with means for advancing the match to a position partially exteriorly of the match safe so that the same can be gripped in the fingers of the operator and entirely removed from the safe when it is desired to use the match.

In the further disclosure of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, constituting a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference denote corresponding partsin all the views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of the match safe; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 22 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front elevation; and Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 44 in Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the views, I disclose a match safe 10 comprising acasing 11 adapted to contain a number of matches 12 and provided with a cover 13 mounted to swing on the casing 11 and engaged by a flat spring l t for normally retaining the cover in either an open or closed position as will be readily understood, this being a usual construction employed in the ordinary types of match safes.

The cover 13 is provided with an opening 15 and attached to 'or forming a part of the casing 11 is an auxiliary casing 16 in which is rigidly secured a horizontally extending shaft 17 having the inner end of a coiled spring 18 secured thereto, the said spring being somewhat in the nature of a watch spring, with the other end of the spring 18 extending upwardly in the casing 11 and passing over a roller 19 journaled in the upper end of the casing, a longitudinal slot 20 being provided in the front wall of the casing and having a handle 21 mounted toslide therein, with the free end of the spring 18 secured to the said handle as shown. It being readily seen that the main portion of the spring 18 is normally wound around the shaft 17, whereas the portion of the spring which normally lies in the casing 11 constitutes an actuating member 22 and includes a foot 23 preferably formed by doubling a portion of the spring upon.

itself and riveting or soldering the doubled portion together, the said handle 21 being provided with lugs24 operating in vertical guideways 25 formed in the sides of the easing 11, a flange 26 being formed in the bot tom of the slot 20 and which is normally engaged by the foot 23- to prevent the foot from passing into the auxiliary casing 1.6.

A fiat spring 27 is secured to the rear wall of the casing 11 and the free end thereof normally tends to move toward the front end of the casing so that the matches 12 contained in the casing will be pressed against the front side of the casing, thus causing the first match to register with the opening 15 in the cover 13.

Now when it is desired to remove a single match from the casing a downward pull is exerted on the handle 21, thus winding. up the spring 18 in the auxiliary casing 16 and also causing the foot 23 to move upwardly in the casing and engage the lower end of the match which registers with the opening 15, thus advancing the match through the opening so that the same will extend partially exteriorly of the casing, where it can be readily gripped by the operator and entirely removed from the casing. Now it will be apparent that at the moment the match has been removed to a partially exterior position withrespect to the casing and the handle 21 is released, the spring 18, being in tension, will exert a pull on the actuating member 22, constituting a part of the spring, thus returning the foot 23 to initial position in engagement with the flange 26. Now

when the match has been removed from the casing, the spring 27 pressing against the remaining matches will force another match into registration with the opening 15 in the cover 13 and by repeating the heretofore Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

mentioned operation the second match will be partially removed from the casing in the same manner.

The casing 11 can be readily filled with matches by simply swinging the cover 13 into open position and this can be accomplished without disturbing any of the mechanism for partially removing matches from the casing. Y

It will be understood that the casing can be so constructed as to accommodate the matches in a manner which will permit of readily operating on a single match by means of the actuating member 22 and that various changes can be made from the dis closures in the drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of the invention being defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 7

1. In a match safe, the combination with a casing provided with an opening and adapted to contain matches, of a spring normally pressing one of the matches forwardly in the casing to register with the opening therein, an auxiliary casing carried by the first casing, a coiled spring member supported in the auxiliary casing, an actuating member formed by the free end of the coiled spring member and extending vertically in the first mentioned casing, a foot forming a part of the actuating member and adapted to engage a match registering with the said opening to advance the said match through the opening, and a handle for the actuating member and extending exterio-rly of the casing for moving the actuating member to advance the said match through the said opening.

2. In a match safe, the combination with a casing provided with an opening and having a slot, of an auxiliary casing carried by the first casing, a spring member supported in the auxiliary casing, an actuating member formed by the free end of the said spring member and arranged to extend vertically in the first mentioned casing, with the extremity of the actuating member extending exteriorly of the casing to provide a handle and movable in a slot therein, and a foot carried by the actuating member and forming a part thereof to engage a match in the casing and advance the same through the opening therein.

3. In a match safe, the combination with a casing provided with an opening and having a slot, of an auxiliary casing carried by the first casing, a spring member supported in the auxiliary casing, an actuating member formed by the free end of the said spring member and arranged to extend vertically in the first mentioned casing, with the extremity of the actuating member extending exteriorly of the casing to provide a handle and movable in the slot, a foot carried by the actuating member and forming a part thereof to engage a match in the casing and advance the same through the opening therein, the said spring member being adapted to return the said foot to initial position, and a flange formed with the easing and constituting a stop member to limit the return movement of the said foot in the casing.

4. In a match safe, the combination with a casing provided with an opening and having a slot, of an auxiliary casing carried by the first casing, a spring member supported in the auxiliary casing, an actuating member formed by the free end of the said spring member and arranged to extend vertically in the first mentioned casing, with the extremity of the actuating member extending exteriorly of the casing to provide a handle and movable in the slot, a foot carried by the actuating member and forming a part thereof to engage a match in the casing and advance the same through the opening therein, the said spring member being adapted to return the said foot to initial position, a flange formed with the casing and constituting a stop member to limit the return movement of the said foot in the said casing, and means carried by the first mentioned casing for normally retaining a match in registration with the opening in the first mentioned casing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT L. CLARK. Witnesses:

ALEXANDER H. CLARK, A. M. SHANKLIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

